A slit lamp microscope is an ophthalmology device for illuminating an eye with slit light to carry out magnifying observation of this illumination field (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). It should be noted that “observation” includes at least one from among observation with naked eyes and imaging by an image sensor.
Slit lamp microscopes are used for observing various parts of an eye. Observation targets may include the entire anterior segment of the eye, cornea, sclera, iris, crystalline lens, conjunctiva, eye chamber, corner angle, vitreous body, retina, etc.
Moreover, various observation techniques exist that use slit lamp microscopes. Examples may include the diffused illumination method, direct illumination method, background illumination method, fluorescent staining photographing, tangent illumination method, diaphanoscopy, photographing using gonioscope, photographing using attachment lens, etc. The diffused illumination method is an observation technique carried out by irradiating an eye with diffused light obtained using a diffusing lens and/or diffusing plate. The direct illumination method is an observation technique carried out by irradiating an eye with light from the light source that is not diffused etc. The background illumination method is an observation technique carried out by irradiating the vicinity of an observation target with illumination light and illuminating the observation target by the reflected light thereof. Fluorescent staining photographing is an observation technique carried out by staining an eye with a fluorescent contrast medium (fluorescein) and irradiating illumination light via a blue filter. The tangent illumination method is an observation technique carried out by irradiating illumination light from the lateral side with respect to an observation target. Diaphanoscopy is an observation technique carried out by irradiating slit light from the margin of the pupil such that reflection from a fundus is maximized. Photographing using a gonioscope is an observation technique carried out by arranging the gonioscope on the cornea of an eye and irradiating the corner angle. Photographing using an attachment lens is an observation technique carried out by irradiating a fundus using a three-sided mirror, aspherical lens, etc. It should be noted that, in examinations using a slit lamp microscope, observation targets and observation techniques are arbitrarily combined and applied.